Wildest Fantisies
by Hard To Scare
Summary: Gabrielle Moore used to be known as the rebellious sister, but when her brother and friends died, now she's silent. Breaking rules quietly as she copes with their deaths. Gabrielle won't stop dancing for anyone, and that causes trouble. She's always been overlooked in favor of Arielle. Can the Boston boy bring her into the light? Ren/ OC. Formerly Our Time
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One: Footloose

I can still hear it.

_" Two, two, one, two. Mic check one, two. One, two." The people all gathered to the empty lot, were Bobby Moore had bought his little sister, Gabrielle and his friends every time the football team won a game. Dancing and Jumping. Gabrielle, or "Energizer" had ADD, her brother and his friends were the only ones who treated her like she wasn't made of glass, they knew her and they were lucky for that._

_They were all dancing in the empty lot behind Wilkerson Place, the keg was nearly tapped, and red cups littered the stick ground. But it didn't matter to us, it was perfect. The DJ spoke again, "Oh yeah, Y'all know what's coming up, don't you?" Of course they did. "Come on, I got it right here. I got it right here."_

_Get on with the song DJ. "Bomont High School, where you at?" They all screamed "Here!" Now Gabrielle was only a freshman, but she did still count. Bobby gave her that award-winning smile as his girlfriend gave her a hug from behind, an insanely dazzling girl. Kelly._

_"We got something to celebrate!" Everyone whooped as Gabby felt Bobby watching her in the way older brothers did. It was like he was happy when he saw her like this. She wasn't the way with him, the way she was with everone else. If that makes any sense. It's been three damn years, so problably not._

_" Bomont Panthers, 31! Bayson Bulldogs, 17! We killed 'em, y'all! Yeah! All right, I want everybody on the dance floor!" Kelly grabbed Gabrielle's hand and pulled her foreward. "Come on! What? What? Y'all ready to party? Get up, get up! I though this was a party! Let's dance!" Everyone screamed as the haunting opening notes to footloose played, leading into the song_

_Been working so hard_

_I'm punching my card_

_Eight hours for what?_

_Oh, tell me what I got_

_I've got this feeling_

_That time's just holding me down_

_Gabrielle's dark hair shined from the flash as she leaned in with her only friends as someone took a picture of this exact moment. It was the happiest she'd ever been, and thought it was the happiest she'd ever be, as Engergizer, the mascot of my brother's group of friends, and not Gabrielle Moore, the freak preacher's daughter. She loved them. They loved her._

_I'll hit the ceiling_

_Or else I'll tear up this town_

_Tonight I got to cut loose_

_Footloose_  
_Kick off your Sunday shoes_

_Please, Louise_

_Pull me off of my knees_

_Jack, get hack_

_Come on, before we crack_

_Lose your blues_

_Everybody cut footloose_

_"Hey, Robert!" Gabrielle called to the missing member of the party, "Yeah!" he lifted her up and swung me around, She knew she was a tiny person, and Robert loved teasing me. _  
_" Bomont High, where are you at now?" The DJ called again as the song drew to a close, Gabrielle couldn't really remember what they were talking about, but she hopped up to my big brother, lights from the party reflecting on his dumpy car. He grinned at her. "We're heading to Mama's, need a ride?" Mama's was the local diner. Best waffles in the state. It went out of buisness after the events of the night. Gabrielle shook her head at my brother," Nah, Katie's taking me, see you there?" He noddded," Love you, stay safe Bunny." She smiled, energetic as ever, "Love you dork!" all the friends piled into the car as she waved, "Bye guys!" Robert and their friends stuck their hands out the open windows, "Bye energizer!"_

_Gabrielle could barely stop crying at their feunerals. And now that the one thing that actually made the girl comfortable in her own skin was illegal, what was left? Arielle? Arielle hated her sister, but tolerated her for an unknown reason. Her parents? They didn't even see her anymore. They didn't even care._

_What was left?_

_What was left?_

XX

What was left?

The words echoed as I awoke in a cold sweat, like I did every day for three years. You'd think the dream would stop surprising me. It was 4:00 AM in the morning, and the entirety of Bomont, Georgia was quiet. This was as good as it would ever get. Everone who judges you and hates your guts is asleep.

It was oddly beautiful. I was an athlete now, I had to be, because my Dad didn't beleive in pills. Bobby's problably laughing his ass off in heaven, I'd wanted to be a ballerina all my life, and I was now stuck like this.

Now that dancing was still Illegal, I had to have other ways to burn off all my extra energy. And with all the people that called me Energizer and treated me like an actual human were 6 feet down, I had to have something to keep me from jumping out of the window like I did the day after the last funereal.

And 'Accident' I assure you.

My room was made a light shade of purple as the light came through my small, rectangular window. I groaned as I thought of church at eleven, and I was somewhat happy that I had decided to put my faith elsewhere. Putting on the silver ring that the gang bought me for my birthday one year, I changed into the racerback orange tank top and black athletic shorts before grabbing my boxing gloves and my bag and quietly heading out the door.

I jogged the thirty miles to Bayson in one hour before I unlocked the town's boxing club and used it without fee before anyone was awake. I could feel myself get to the point where I needed to move on from my routine. I jogged the perimeter of the town and passed the many shops that I never thought i'd try, but somehow new so well. Each house I passed had a green, even and well- manicured lawn

It was 7AM when I jogged home to Bomont, I had to control me pace and keep my eyes ont he road, as there were no sidewalks and I could get hit by a car at anytime. Eh. who cares? I'd go listening to Men at Work, The Cure, or Quiet Riot anytime I got back to Bomont when I usually do, at around eight in the morning,. My mom and pop, as well as Arielle are problably awake by now, having breakfast or something. Never was one for breakfast, preferred lunch instead.

I made a jog-beeline for the Bomont high school practice field and began coreographing new cheers for the cheer squad. Bobby'd of laughed his ass off about that too. I can pratically hear Robert making fun of me. Kelly would squeal and call me a mini-me as she did most of the time. Little mannerisms did make the comparison quite uncanny. "5 . . . 6 . . . 7 . . . 8 . . . " I performed a herkie- hurtle and a pike as I heard Katy Perry's Part of me ring through me head. You see, this ISN'T dancing, it's cheering. I blew of some more super-cheery steam as I made a note to get new tennis shoes. The usual. I was so damn bored. The grass is even boring here in Bomont. It reeked of pesticide.

Something needs to happen. I'm losing my mind. Maybe I can babysit the Warnicker girls again. I can go to the Snack Bar and dance with the football team. I'm not going to jump. I will not jump again. I went through the motions and did several laps on the running track, going all out. Running. Always running.

It was about 10 when I decided to head home, bag hanging from my shoulder, pink boxing gloves hanging around my neck. I couldn't wait to get home and shower. Passing several of my middle-school teachers, selling their wares at a craft fair I stopped and took in the air.

I didn't know what it was at the time, because I'd never felt it before. But it was change, and it would lead to some of the happiest times of my life. A stranger was hugging the Warnicker girls, he definetly wasn't from around here.

For once, it looked like life around here would get interesting.

Wes smiled at me in the pity-filled way people did as I passed soundlessly, unoticed as I had learned to do flawlessly. There was a feeling in the pit of my stomach as I let out a small grin. The pavement heated up as I ran home, and finally took that shower.

XX

It was Church. In it's most essential form, it should be okay, getting closer to god an all that. But since I've decided to put my faith elsewhere, I've seen only more and more passive-agression. But because I'm one of the preacher's kids, I can't exactly say such thing, thought it does allow a twisted kind of freedom. Just start crying and Bonnie Fife the police man'll let you right off. I'd rather be more involved with the town's charity fund, too many kids got displaced when the music programs got cut. I'd like to do something that would get a better program that would keep everyone, ya know, occupied. Maybe work up an idea that buys ambulances for people who have to commute from farms too far out of town.

"Progress." No not this again, I tugged on the hem of my cream-colored dress, and tapped my matching flats, antsy. "What does progress mean to you?" Absolutely everything except Bomont. "We have computers in our pockets, telephones in our automobiles, and money on a plastic card." My Dad went into his speech about Progress Ariel and I heard all the time at home. I stewed more about the idea I was hatching for a town charity.

I shifted next to Rusty as the ancient church pews were making my butt a new kind of numb. I wish I could just be atheist, that'd probably mean I'd get burned at the stake, along with Slaughterhouse Five and Fahrenheit 451 surveyed the church as my dad said his usual speech we heard all the time at home, "Who here today remembers a time when you had to go inside the bank to get your money?" Nope. "Remember old Mr. Rucker down at the Bomont State Bank?" Everyone Fifty and over laughed in remembrance.

"Every time you made a deposit, he'd give you a piece of Bazooka gum. Now, I haven't yet met an ATM machine that would give me a piece of Bazooka chewing gum, let alone make me feel special, like Mr. Rucker did. Now, is that progress?" Now I'm not exactly a people person, but I did volunteer at the animal shelter most of the time after school, when I wasn't hanging out at the snack bar.

I was lost in thought, but brought down to earth as Rusty gave me a sly grin as Arielle was texting on her iPhone. She elbowed me in the side as I glared at her, my friend whispered in my ear quietly as my dad talked about tuning people out. "Don't look now, but the new guy's checking you out!" She dragged out the last word excitedly.

I looked over discreetly, and sure enough the guy I saw with the Warnicker family was looking at me. He was cute too, brown hair, dark eyes. Damn. I shot back a small smile and lowered my eyes down to my shoes. 'Shake it off, you don't need a crush,' I mentally scolded myself. I was looking at a dance scholarship to Julliard, and I was not about to get a reason to stay in this tiny town.

I felt myself blush as Rusty whispered; "He's cuuuuute," she dragged out the words as she knocked me as we sat, playfully. "You think everyone's cute." I shot back, smiling "He's still cuuuuute." I smiled and let out a small giggle while avoiding the attention of my dad as he finished his sermon.

XXX

Rusty and her brother Dusty dragged me outside before I literally started bouncing off the walls of the beautiful building. They know me so well! I Quickly fell into the group with Dusty, Rusty, and Ariel. But I wasn't really participating, but writing down the ideas I had for charities. I was brought down from my ramblings of a madwoman as I caught a bit of the Moore-Warnicker conversation. Already caught playing music too loud? Amateur hour, he'd get caught beating curfew, or dancing. All he needed was a forged signature and a job to pay off the debt of the tickets, and like me, he'd be fine. He looked like he was the type to dance. 'Nah, too good to be true.' Things weren't that way around here.

The cop stared at Ren warily and I rolled my eyes. What a great welcome, at least give the guy a warning, he is new here after all. My mom's beautiful dark hair flipped in the Georgia wind as she called Ariel and I from the conversation.

"Ariel, Gabrielle!" She turned back to the new guy. "I want you to meet my daughter, she goes to Bomont. You're going to need a friend on your first day." She pushed him slightly towards Ariel. "This is Ren McCormack. He'll be attending school with you tomorrow." Mom turned back to her conversion as Ren eyed Ariel warily as she batted her blue eyes. "This is my other daughter, Gabrielle." _She breaks curfew, dances, and had plans. She's not as pretty as Ariel. She's sweet thought. Yeah. Sweet. _I practically felt the unspoken words as she went back to talking with the Warnickers.

"Hey." He said in a low voice, to Ariel. "Hey!" she replied perkily. I don't know why I was feeling jealous, but I attempted to shake it off when Ariel immediately went to talk to our Dad with her latest scam. "Hey Daddy?" "Yes Honey?" "Rusty, Gabby, and I have that science project due tomorrow, we're going to be working on it pretty late. I was thinking Gabby and I could stay over. Is that okay?" I clenched my jaw as I new what the code was for. She wanted to see Chuck. Chuck the trash. He'd been hitting on me since Ariel and him had started dating, she knew I hated it, yet she kept putting me in these situations. She hates me. I know it. Can't she just leave it alone? Dusty's crazy in love with her anyway!

"On a school night? Is that necessary?" Dad questioned protectively as Ariel put on her best doe eyes and called to Rusty "Don't you think it's gonna take us all night" Rusty looked at me, then Ariel. "Yeah, sure?" Dad replied uncertainly "Okay, I guess it's okay." Ren just stood there, taking in the conversation.

"Thanks, Daddy. Bye, Momma!" The moment they looked away, she ordered, "Come on, let's go." I'm not, nor ever will be a dog. Ariel jogged off to get in the car with Rusty and yelled back, "Gabby, let's move!" She giggled with Rusty about something as I replied, "Just a second!" I turned back to Ren and uncertainly, "It was nice to meet you Ren." Ariel yelled again, "Gabby!" I didn't want to keep the Queen waiting, "See you at school." I felt everyone's eyes on me as I got into Rusty's car. 'There goes the freak' I heard someone mutter as I shut the car door behind me.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: Tracks

I've got energy, don't get me wrong. I am Energizer Bunny hear me roar! I've got ADD and sometimes jump off bridges. I am absolutely insane. I'd jump off Foreman's Bridge buck naked in the dead of winter if it meant I never had to go back to the Cranston Racetrack. All the redneck sleaze balls from the tri-state area all flocked here, and it was a habit whenever Ariel dragged Rusty and I here that our asses would end up posted on some hick's Facebook page. I love my ass, but I just don't want it on the Internet.

I internally groaned as Ariel and Rusty hopped right out of the car as Rusty parked, I had changed from my cream dress into a tank top, ripped jeans, and some aqua converse shoes that were perfect for running if need be. "Come on, let's go." Ariel took Rusty's arm and dragged her foreword, leaving me to walk through the rednecks, watching Chuck win, as usual. They were riveted.

"And with two laps to go, the leader is car number 44, Chuck Cranston!" Spoke the commentator over the intercom. His daddy owned the track; of course he'd win. "Coming around the last turn on the final lap... We have a winner!" Ooh suspense. " In the number 44 car, it's Chuck Cranston, let's hear it for Chuck!" I felt my stomach sink as Ariel shook her ass hanging on the chain link fence that kept the people and the stadium separate. "Yeah he just won!" Of course he won.

The weasel stuck his head out of his flame-motif racecar and blinked his beady eyes excitedly. "Yeah, baby! Yeah, baby!" He waved his arms like Brutus at the end of Julius Caesar, totally milking the crowd in the most disgusting way. Jesus, the sight of his face made me insane! "Today's late-model division, two-time champion, folks." The commentator kind of faded to the background as I gazed on the massive show that was Chuck Cranston. He was absolutely ridiculous.

Chuck gazed on me, scanning his eyes up and down my short form, and grinned. I gaged slightly as he made me feel extremely exposed before attending to my sister, who was shaking her ass for no reason and looking to Chuck like a Labrador. "Go up there, you get that flag and get that cute ass out here right now!" My jaw dropped as Ariel did what he said, no one talked down to her, what the hell was she doing?

I yelled at Ariel to stop as she grabbed the old man's black and white flag before making out with Chuck for all the patrons of whatever this place was called. "Ariel what are you doing?" My heart nearly stopped as all the yelling faded away and my sister stuck her head out the window, black and white flag ready for a victory lap.

My throat tightened as I gripped the chain link fence to keep from passing out, Rusty stood, terrified, digging her nails into my arm. Ariel was two seconds away from falling out of that damn racecar, breaking her neck, or hitting her head and leaving me because she's an idiot. She hates me

She fucking hates me.

XXX

"Gabrielle!" I stomped away as Rusty brought the car around. "I hope you had a good time." I seethed to myself. "Gabby, I'm talking to you!" She put on her queen Ariel voice that made me want to slap her.

I stopped and turned around, "You know when people die Ariel? One day their here, next they'd be gone. It's clear you just want to disappear! I know that you hate me, I just don't get why you make me watch you do this to yourself, especially after what happened with Bobby, you hate me! Why do you make me watch this?" I screamed, approaching hysteria. The kind of hysteria that I never wanted to feel again, just like after the feuneral.

Ariel clenched her fists, as I wasn't done with my rant. Three years people. This has been holding up for three years. "I knew it was supposed to be me dead, I see it from you, our parents, and the entire town! I am done covering your ass and watching you slum with racecar boy. We just shouldn't talk. "

My sister ran her hands through her long blonde hair as she screeched out, "So your just going to leave me?" What? "Me? Leave you? I don't know what's going on with you anymore. You aren't the only one who lost him." My tight throat threatened to spill tears as I saw Rusty taking in the entire thing from the car. I don't get why her brother loved Ariel. If the best of her is buried in there somewhere, Dusty dosen't deserve to do the digging, It's going to take a lot to get her back.

"I'll get my own ride back."

"I guess you will."

Rusty and I didn't say anything the entire ride back to town.

XXX

I jogged up to the main entrance of school, Ariel and I had this not-talking thing going and I was secretly hoping that it would last until the end of the year. I had picked up so much slack when she'd snuck out to see Chuck so many times. She'd come home drunk often. I'd be the excuse of why she'd come home later than curfew. I couldn't deal with that now, I had school to think about.

I breathed in the fresh scent of Bomont roses as I stopped to take off my letterman jacket. Now I know what you're thinking, why's she on the cheer and track team? Hasn't she gotten kicked off yet? Wasn't she the girl that nearly burned out half the football field after homecoming last year?

Well I have to, I'm really close, and that was never proved.

Dusty, Rusty's brother jogged up to me with a smile spread all over his face, he was a handsome guy, dark curly hair, and a smile that makes him an excellent accomplice when I needed help getting some "law-breaking" done.

"Morning sunshine how was your energy-burning?" He wasn't the most athletic, more of the bookish type, and a lot more like Rusty, except with a bigger affinity for jalapeño pepper. "Sup senior, it was okay, I was running late though. How was your weekend?" he rolled his dark eyes, "Eh, the usual. Lock self in room until Monday Morning." I let out a giggle, but was cut short as a yellow bug blaring 'Black and Yellow by Wiz Kahlifa.'

Everyone's eyes were on the person who exited the car. Ladies and Gentleman. Ren McCormick. Dusty looked at me, inquisitively, yet also knowingly. Damn I wish I knew what was going on in his head. Ugh. "Isn't that the new kid your Mom introduced you to at church?" He smirked. I hate and I loved him at the same time, he was my only friend after Bobby and the gang's demise, and I sure as hell wasn't going to lose him.

"Why the thinking face?" I stuck out my tongue as I questioned him, leaning against the wall of the illustrious Bomont High. "Rusty told me, you think he's cute." My jaw dropped, "Rusty's a liar, she totally made that up!" He let out a jolly laugh; "Sometimes I wish you were gay so you could give me fashion advice!" I screeched loudly and earned a few stares as Ren was getting his stuff together in his car.

That sobered Dusty up immediately, "Your gonna get it one day Gabrielle, someone's gonna be all 'We need to kill the devil child!' he replied in an exaggerated voice. "Aww Gabby, he's wearing tie!" We started walking into school. "I'm going to tell him you like his tie." Normally a girl would think he's teasing, but this is _Dusty_ of all people, he's been matchmaking teachers since the second grade. It's actually kind of creepy, but then again there are rumors I have black angel wings tattooed on my back. I should really look into that.

But for now, that's a big no by the way. Not a fallen angel. I don't kill live chickens via blender. Its just ADD.

He pushed me behind him playfully as Ren walked into the building with the flow of people. "Hey, Ren right?" Ren nodded silently. "Gabby here likes your tie." I did like his tie. It was nice.

I knocked Dusty into a kneeling position as he groaned loudly. "I said no fighting moves. Not cool Gab!" I rolled me eyes only slightly as I replied to Dusty's comment to Ren, pretending I didn't want to strangle Dusty. " I mean it too. Don't let anyone tell you different."

Ren looked at me, stunned. Like he'd never gotten a compliment before. Huh. I dismissed this quickly as he replied, smiling slightly, "Thanks! Gabrielle right?" "Very good." I smiled in return and I could practically tell Dusty was about to have a hissy fit of excitement that his first student "project" was underway.

"I'll see you in class." I ducked my head, attempting to save the new kids social life while I could. I knew he'd probably never talk to me again. I mean why would he want to?

"Nice to meet you too, umm Dusty right?"

"You too man, see you late-" Dusty was then dragged down to our lockers by a nervous short chick, leaving Ren by himself. He'd be mad at that short person for a class period or too. But then he'd bounce back and she'd apologize profusely. She'd choreograph the cheerleading set for the next football game and it would all go along like it usually does.

That's the way is was in Bomont.

Usual.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: Thoughts

**She ** was absolutely radiant. Ren smiled to himself as he tried to pull his focus back to school, but Gabrielle was so pretty! Ugh, this is not what he needed. He winced slightly as he suddenly collided with another person in the hallway.

"Hey. Watch where you're going, little guy."

"Sorry, man. I didn't see you." He replied apologetically and absentmindedly still thinking about Gabrielle.

"It's like driving. Stick with the flow of traffic, numbnuts." Says the dumbass wearing a red hat.

"Maybe if you weren't wearing all that camouflage, I could see you. You should get one of them orange vests so hunters don't shoot you." Ren couldn't help but smirk slightly at the Country Guy's reply. "An orange vest? I don't wear orange. I'm not a Tennessee fan. I'm Georgia Bulldog." Ren scoffed as he saw the Not-Tennessee fan trying to size him up. "Where you from? You talk funny."  
He chuckled quietly before shooting back, " I talk funny? I talk funny? You should hear you from my end." Gabrielle pulls of the southern accent just fine. . . "I'm from Boston." Ren saw a blank expression, "Massachusetts?" Nothing.

"It's the United States?" the cowboy scoffed in reply. "Yeah . . .I read that somewhere." Ren laughed.

"What's up, man? I'm Willard." Ren shook the camo-kid's hand, "I'm Ren. McCormack."

"Nice to meet you. Let me see this." Willard took Ren's schedule and flipped it right way up. "Literature and Composition. That's this way. Follow me."

The last thing heard by passerbies, as the two walked down the hall was, "People give you shit about that tie yet?" and a laugh, "Nah, but the day just started."

XXX

Literature and Composition had passed in somewhat of a blur for Gabrielle and Dusty, that's the way it was with mornings and people. If people you don't like are out and about, they tend to fade into the background. The time came for gym class, all of the teams split off. The football kids went to their field, while the track and cheerleaders split off nearer to the bleachers.

Dusty was hanging out on the bleachers, taking in the scene as he always did, and heckled the Footballers, as he himself was a soccer player. Though that wasn't always convenient, as he had to commute to Basin for practice. Though no one but Gabrielle knew that.

Gabrielle was standing aimlessly as the cheerleaders did their initial catty chew-outs of the other students of the school, done as usual in a disturbing game of sex, marry, kill. And it was getting boring. Gabrielle leaned against the bleachers, "First group, on your mark!" The football coach yelled. Gabrielle was considered gutsy, but that man was just scary!

Gabrielle was jerked out of her mid-morning haze as she watched the football team practice. Huh, Ren was there. Gabrielle watched as she madly waved to Dusty with the other hand, her friend merely looked up from his book and smiled. All this before whispering, "Ren and Gabby sitting' in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-S-S-I-P-P-I . . ." Gabrielle smirked at him absentmindedly, "You got messed up Dusty."

Dusty smirked in reply at his best friend, he knew that look when everything else flew out the window. "Hey Gabby, you going to the Snack Bar tonight?"

"I Do."

Dusty scoffed in an attempt to cover a laugh, "What?" That jerked Gabrielle out of her daydream. She covered with "I do have a new bootleg David Banner song."

Quickly and frantically. "Dammit, I almost had you." Dusty pounded the railing of the bleachers. "Hah."

Missy the blonde bimbo chuckled a little always from the friend as Dusty playfully hit the (ironic) cheer Capitan in the shoulder. "Go get 'em sir!"

"Don't call me sir Hansen, I'm not in uniform!" Gabrielle tossed the reference over her shoulder as Dusty went back to heckling and reading.

Gabrielle adopted her death stare as she walked over to Missy and the Blondes proceeded with their game to spite her. She wasn't on duty, as this wasn't Cheer Practice, but a Capitan is never on uniform.

"Oh my god you guys, SMK, Ren, Woody, Willard. Go!" Missy flipped her hair in the stupid bitchy way that she did. "Marry, Wilard. Sex, Ren. Cause he's a hottie. And last, Kill Woody." "Why Woody?" questioned Gabrielle, already knowing the answer.

"He still won't go out with me!" wined the bottle-blonde. "He's got a girlfriend, dumbass." Hissed Gabrielle in response; this was an ongoing thing for Gabrielle and Missy. Etta was a good friend, and if a bimbo tried to mess up her relationship, Gabrielle was going to stop it.

"Hey your one to talk Big G. You were so checking out the new guy. God your so naïve, I'm gonna hit that first!" Missy did a little dance as Gabrielle's face flushed. "So you do like him! I knew it." Thank god no one was paying attention when she did this.

Missy and Gabrielle stared at each other as Gabrielle backed out. The short brunette adopted an absent stare as she flipped out. There was just something about a girl like Missy that drove someone like Gabrielle crazy. It wasn't anyone's fault, but whenever they were together Gabrielle saw red.

"It's bring it on time bitches!" Bring it on was her and Bobby's movie.

Ah hell, it was time to dance.

_I'm sexy, I'm cute! I'm popular to boot!_  
_I'm bitchin', great hair! The boys all love to stare!_  
_I'm wanted, I'm hot! I'm everything your not!_  
_I'm pretty, I'm cool! I dominate this school!_

Had Gabrielle not been busy with her pike-roundoff, she would of noticed Ren staring and laughing quietly to himself as Willard rambled on.

XX

It was lunchtime when Ren rolled his eyes good-naturedly as Willard went on. "Last year, varsity made it to regional. They bussed us down to Alabama." Ren hadn't ever been out of Boston and seen America; he mentally added visit all 50 states to his bucket list. "The excitement never stops," he replied sarcastically.

"You haven't been overseas?" somehow, magically, Ren already knew the answer. "I've been to Alabama, if that counts." Ren scoffed, and laughed internally.

"No. It doesn't. I went to Russia two years ago with my gymnastics team." A chance to mess with someone, always fun. "It's kind of a sister city thing with Moscow." Hmm, Valerie and Annika. They were his good friends when he went to Russia, and he still kept touch. They were best friends, and fell in love with each other, with Ren's help. But Willard didn't know any of that.

"Yeah, Russia... I don't know if I dig that. It sounds kind of boring."

Dude.

"Do you know anything about Russian girls?" he questioned.

Russia was pretty. . .in the spring anyways. "I know they range from bearded to drop-dead beautiful." Damn straight.

"Yeah? Well, I can vouch for the beautiful ones." So beautiful, that every straight man dies when he finds out they're not into guys.

"Two girls from the Russian team snuck me out of my dorm room late night. They didn't have beards." Good times.

"They were smoking." Every straight man. Dead. "What were they smoking?" Ren smiled a little. Seriously?

" Oh, you mean, like, smokin' hot. I'm sorry. Continue." Willard waved his fork a bit, as Ren noticed Gabrielle sitting on the table part of the outdoor lunchroom as Dusty was telling her about something.

Ren clenched his jaw a little in jealously. No. No jealousy, he had enough going on trying to get his life together, maybe try and get into Juliard, Columbia, or maybe even NYU.

Ugh she was so beautiful. Focus Ren. Focus.

"So we go to this club. The music's banging. It's pitch black. I couldn't see shit, just hot two girls drenched in sweat all over me." This was a massive exaggeration; they were dancing all over each other while Ren was the acting DJ.

"We danced all night." Eventually he got to dance after his sub finally came. "Great. What'd you guys do after?" He was making it to easy. "Oh, come on. Look, down in the South, you can't start a story about a threesome and not finish it." It was a good rule, but still, he was making this insanely easy.

"Come on." Willard was hooked. It was time.

"It goes without saying, these girls are take me into a bathroom stall." Willard's jaw dropped, exposing chewed food.

"One shoves her tongue down my throat, the other one's on top. This girl's a champion pommel horse gymnast."

Actually, Valerie had to go back to the dorm because she crashed.

"I'm talking killer upper body strength. Banging. She's scratching my back,  
she's tearing my clothes off." At least the upper body strength was true, almost to the point of being scary.

" And her friend's whispering in my ear, "Hernnya." Valerie did have an affinity for teaching the Americans, Russian swears. "Her..." he glanced over to Willard, completely hooked to the point of being an Internet meme.

"Hernnya." He questioned simply, enthralled.

"Yeah."

"What does that mean?"

"It's Russian for "bullshit."

"Why would she say that?" Williard thought for a moment, "'Cause you're bullshitting me?"

Willard's face fell, disappointed, but then he laughed.

"Yup. Yeah." Ren looked over at Gabrielle again, she was absolutely radiant. Why did she have to be so amazing?

"But we did dance, man. We danced our Asses off."

'None of the Russian chicks even came close to the Preacher's Daughter of Bomont, Georgia.' Thought Ren quietly to himself as he finished his food, listening to Willard tell him about Rusty.

XX

Rusty pulled me up front of Scully's bar, "I don't understand why you need to risk this Gab." Rusty warned me wary of my hobbies. "If I can't dance or listen to good music, I can at least perform it."

"I get your point, but your rock hard ass is gonna be busted." Rusty dramatically slapped her hands against the steering wheel as they both sat in front of the bar as Gabrielle put her pink VANS on her feet.

"Lucky no one knows I perform in Basin but you." It was lucky. Hopefully it'd stay that way. "You're coo-coo for coco puffs." It was a fact. At least Rusty put it nicer than everyone else.

"And trix are for kids. It's gonna be fine Rusty, you might even come in and watch one night." It was unlikely, but at least Rusty cared enough to driver her. "I really don't feel like getting Hepatitis." Gabrielle rolled her eyes. "Don't be melodramatic, it's actually quite nice in there." It was. Way nicer than the outside. "The usual time? Were still hitting the snack bar later right?"

"The usual time. And of course." Rusty smiled as Gabrielle took her beat up guitar and headed down into Scully's bar.

XX

Gabrielle was on her fourth song, and Rusty was coming in about five minutes, she could squeeze in one more song, if she could. It was the best one, the one they all scream-sang on the radio. Holding Out for a Hero.

Gabrielle adjusted her position and smiled as she began.

_One, two, three._

_Where have all the good men gone_  
_And where are all the gods?_  
_Where's the street-wise Hercules_  
_To fight the rising odds?_  
_Isn't there a white knight upon a fiery steed?_  
_Late at night I toss and turn and dream of what I need_

_I need a hero_  
_I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night_  
_He's gotta be strong, he's gotta be fast_  
_And he's gotta be fresh from the fight_  
_I need a hero_  
_I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light_  
_He's gotta be sure, he's gotta be soon_  
_And he's gotta be larger than life, larger than life_

_Somewhere after midnight_  
_In my wildest fantasies_  
_Somewhere just beyond my reach_  
_There's someone reaching back for me_  
_Racing on the thunder and rising with the heat_  
_Isn't there a superman to sweep me off my feet?_

_I need a hero_  
_I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night_  
_He's gotta be strong, he's gotta be fast_  
_And he's gotta be fresh from the fight_  
_I need a hero_  
_I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light_  
_He's gotta be sure, he's gotta be soon_  
_And he's gotta be larger than life_

_Up where the mountains meet the heavens above_  
_Out where the lightning splits the sea_  
_I could swear that there's someone somewhere watching me_  
_Through the wind and the chill and the rain_  
_And the storm and the raging flood_  
_Oh, his approach is like a fire in my blood_

_I'll meet a hero_  
_And then we'll dance 'til the morning light_  
_Dreaming, he'll lead me_  
_Held tight,_  
_Tonight's the night_

_I need a hero_  
_I'm holding out for a hero 'til the end of the night_  
_He's gotta be strong, he's gotta be fast_  
_And he's gotta be fresh from the fight_  
_I need a hero_  
_I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light_  
_He's gotta be sure, he's gotta be soon_  
_And he's gotta be larger than life, larger than life_

_Oh_

_Larger than life_

_Larger than life_

_Oh maybe, maybe, maybe tonight_

_Oh, oh_

There was an enormous applause from the normal five-o- clock crowd, as the invincibility feeling Gabrielle got when she sang spread to her bones. Her phone vibrated from her pocket as she took a bow and left her safe haven.

XX

Ren sat down in his garage as Willard and Woody helped him with his new-old car. "Yeah. Give it a little bit of gas." The machine purred as he then replied, "Yeah, that sounds good. Cut it." Ren got out of his Volkswagen as he wiped his hands. "What's the deal with the preacher's daughter? She worth it?" What was the deal with Gabrielle?

Woody and Willard smiled, almost knowingly. " I hear, back in the day, she used to be a goody two-shoes. Now she fronts like she some hell raiser. Wearing her jeans tight and everything." Ren's nearly choked.

"You could put a quarter in that girl's back pocket and tell if it's heads or tails." Willard supplied, taking in Ren's odd expression. "Rusty's brother, Dusty's crazy in love with her. Poor guy doesn't have a shot though." Dusty? That guy Gabrielle was a friend with? Hell no.

But then it hit him, and a giant amount of relief flowed trough him.

They were talking about Arielle, the girl who scared the absolute crap out of him!

Ren only shook his head, "Nah, I meant the other one! Gabrielle." Of course he meant Gabrielle, she was sweet, and seemed smart. It didn't even matter if she wasn't exactly book-smart. You can tell all about someone from his or her presence, and Gabi just radiated intelligence.

Woody bowed his head after exchanging a weird look with Willard. "Back a few years, her brother died, along with all their friends in that car crash after a party." Ren gaped. "What happened then?" he questioned. It must be so terrible to have all the people you care about gone just like that, having to start over from scratch and everything.

"She . . . tried to jump out the third-floor window of her house. She didn't get hurt too bad, but she just kind of disappeared." Willard looked sad as Woody continued.

What? A suicide attempt? He didn't see that coming at all.

"She's more of the quiet rebel type, wanting to see how far she can push them adults before they finally acknowledge her as more than 'the she devil.'"

Willard scoffed, "Or 'the demon-child,"

"Rosemary's baby," Topped Woody.

"The Freak." Willard stuck out his tongue at Woody, who punched him in the arm.

"Madame Infidel." Woody pushed Willard off the tire he was sitting on, causing Ren to laugh, slightly confused.

"Chicken- Blender Killer!" Screamed Willard finally as he threw a dirty rag at Woody's face, kicking wildly.

"What's the big issue, why a freak?" Ren questioned after the exchange of various nicknames.

"Girl's got ADD, though round hear, everyone treats that like it's AIDS or something. It's absolutely ridiculous. She's a cool girl, she usually hangs out with us or Dusty."

"Why? You're trying to knock boots with her, aren't you?" exclaimed Willard as he punched Ren in the arm, for some reason, overjoyed.

"No." Ren stared him down, but Willard wasn't fazed. " Yes, you are. He is." Ren kind of tuned out the rest of the conversation as he took in the antics of his new friends, leaning against the hood of his car, letting all the noises turn into a calming buzz.

XXX

He was almost asleep on the hood of his car until he was jolted awake. "REN!" screamed Willard spastically.

Woody scoffed, "Dude, be cool."

"Whatever. Anyway, Gabrielle's on Youtube! Woody man, we are going to make her remix the shit out of her songs!"

"Man I'm just going to ask were she got that guitar . . . " said Woody, someone who genuinely loved instruments, and was currently attempting to learn piano.

"What did she do?" questioned Ren dumbly.

"Our dear friend apparently performs in a bar in Basin. Someone posted it online." Woody showed Ren his iPhone as the trio watched their friend's performance.

_"I'm holding out for a hero 'til the morning light_

_He's gotta be sure, he's gotta be soon_

_And he's gotta be larger than life, larger than life"_

Everyone's jaw was dropped when she finally stopped and the video ended. Woody was the first to speak. "Well that totally defies the dance ban!"

"Jump back. . . what?" Okay. . . Dance Ban. Dead kids. Reverend Moore. Reverend Moore's kids. Dance Ban. Stupid.

Ren's mind raced as his new friends babbled on, why ban dancing, it's not like the accident was an uncommon thing.

But this was Bomont, and nothing was common here.

The next thing the Boy from Boston knew, was that he was getting dragged to a place called "The Snack Bar."

What?


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Three: Cooler Than Me

It had just began to get dark outside when Rusty and Gabrielle pulled up to the snack bar, Rusty got the same strange-excited feeling when she saw the devious look that Gaby would get in her eyes whenever they came here. The last time that she had gotten "the Look" Rusty, Gabrielle, and Willard had gone on such an extreme bender that involved a bebe gun, a pineapple, and a tire swing. Don't ask, they won't tell.

Gabrielle smiled as Rusty and her got out of the car and ran quickly inside, past the police officer stationed outside. Rusty held the door opened as Gabrielle pulled her blue sweater over her head, revealing a pink crop top and floral overalls, giving the illusion she was over 5'5 with doc martins on her small feet

Rusty went to order food, and Gaby's smile grew as she saw Woody, "Hey man, what's up?" she squeaked, ADD kicking in. She's skipped her run today, so if she didn't start moving now, things were going to get crazy. "Hey Gab," greeted her tall friend Woody started laughing quietly to himself, "Saw you talking with Missy earlier, she still trying to kill me?" He questioned.

"You know it."

They both laughed briefly at their shared joke before Woody turned to Ren, who just got in. Gabrielle turned away in order to hide her panic, and laughing slightly as Willard made a fuss about the Frito Pie.

"Hey check the door, are the cops still here?" ordered Gabrielle abruptly, getting worried that the cops would never leave, and the party would never get started.

"Five-O getting his move on." Woody replied with a smile, before walking back over to his friend, "What you got Gabby?" Gabrielle smirked before pulling out a CD case from her bag. "Is that?" Willard walked from Rusty, aghast, same as Woody, and Etta. "Who's the Queen!"

Gabrielle's bowed, "David Banner. Bootleg. That is how awesome I am!" She wasn't that awesome, but it was his new song.

Doc took the CD from Gabrielle and raised an accusing, and wrinkled finger, "Ay Queenie, don't get too krunk out there. First sign of the police, I'm gonna pull the plug." Gabby nodded understanding, scuffing her Doc Martins on the old yellow tiled floor.

"Aye Missy, I don't wanna get a fine, and you don't wanna get another ticket." Gabrielle scoffed at this, it wouldn't be that big of a loss to get kicked off the sports team.

Gabrielle walked with her friends outside the Snack Bar when she gelt a shy hand on her shoulder, "You got a ticket for dancing?" Gabrielle swallowed her butterflies before replying. "I actually have two, one more and I'm off the cheer squad.

Ren's eyes widened as he prayed silently to himself, as any sensible person would have _'Please god let her keep the uniform'_

Gabrielle took her spot leaning up against someone's Impala as she observed the townies rock. She gave a sad smile to no one in particular, as tonight she felt completely alone. It was time to get into some hard drugs or something, maybe alcohol.

She scolded herself mentally, who was she kidding? She was too much of a weakling to even buy the stuff. But it was time to put a pin in that.

Her friends were happy, so she was happy for them.

It made her slightly sad because Dusty was staying in, so there went the sarcasm of the night.

Woody was in the middle of the drive in, dancing and looping around feeling free when Gabrielle yelled "Woody!" to cheer him on.

'Fake it Gabby, keep smiling.' She mentally scolded herself again. No matter what happened, tonight just wasn't a dancing night. Or so she thought.

The fake smile dropped from her face when she saw Arielle dancing on Chuck's flatbed straddling a microphone like Miley Cyris: Who Can't Be Tamed.

Couldn't she just be herself? This just wasn't a good idea.

Arielle was going to end up hurt, having to pick out glass and take concussion meds like she did when Chuck threw that beer bottle at her head. Was it worth it? It had to be better than Arielle getting pregnant with Chuck's feeble-minded, tiny-wristed fetus.

God no . . .

Chuck's giving you the look. It was the same look that he got that night.

Avoid him

Avoid him.

Avoid him.

Gabby took a breath and began to focus on other things.

Gabrielle took a breath and began to focus on other things. Like Ren.

There's a good positive, even if he'd never look her way.

The teen turned, curious as to why Woody was pulling Ren's leather jacket off. Poor boy doesn't stand a chance. "I'm good. I don't dance. You go have dun." Gabby's smile was back on her face as she observed the situation. He really dosen't know how persistent Woody could be. Gabby stood up, off the car.

"Me and my boys are gonna push everyone back. Let me see you do that city boy thing." Now Gabrielle was hooked.

Ren began to take over the drive in, music surrounding him. At this point it wasn't just coming from the PA, but the old broken-down drive-in speakers too. Gabby knew Claude must of put a lot of money into keeping them working, and knew the man was a compatriot when it came to defying the dance ban.

Ren loped around their circle like he had been waiting for this since the moment he got into town. She thought of dancing with him, as she and many others were sick of being stuck up in their tiny bedrooms dancing to their headphones.

Arielle continued stripping on the flatbed of Chuck's truck as the white trash male stared shamelessly at Gabrielle, ignoring her sister's show.

'Screw him. He's not coming anywhere near me.'

Gabby resumed watching Ren be amazing, and lose himself in the music. Little did the dark-haired girl know, that he was only looking at her.

He pulled out his best tricks as he saw he had her attentions, mixing his dancing style with gymnastics, climbing up onto a big four-wheel-drive truck and doing a back flip off the hood.

Gabby laughed as the car alarm went off for the blue truck, as Ren looked mildly startled, not expecting the car alarm to be set off so easily

"Whoo!" cheered Gabby, blushing terribly as she said it. But he didn't have to be told twice, hopping up onto the truck for another flip, somehow going higher into the air.

Gabby cheered and cocked her head like a puppy as she overheard the owner of the truck say to Ren, "Oh, she's looking," he said, "Get on that boy." said the guy, staring at Gabrielle.

"What was everyone's deal tonight? Did her hair look super good or something? This is what you get when you try to stay low-key." though Gabby to herself as she tried to convince herself that she had an issue with her crush dancing.

Gabrielle was even more stunned as Ren ran and slid up to her with an amazing force, nearly falling off his feet. She was forced up against the grille of the car as the hot blush curse returned. "I-erm-hey," said Gabby in a small voice that somehow seemed stronger through the music. "Hey." replied Ren simply. "Ren right?"

he grinned, "Very good."

Hilarious.

He took her by the hand, and pulled her onto the dance floor, moving gracefully to the music. This was the most Gabby had ever enjoyed herself for the first time since Bobby and her friends had died. It was perfect. It wasn't just because the two were actually interacting, but Ren saw that he didn't have the beauty entirely. She kept checking over her shoulder, glancing back at Chuck, who was looking freaking pissed while Gabrielle paled, scared. Last time he'd looked like that she was sent to the ER for a concussion and glass scratches.

She'd covered for Arielle's sake, but the asshole had broken a beer bottle over her head. Four inches to the left, and she would be blind right now. "Don't let him scare you."

Gabrielle looked up at Ren (as he stood almost a head taller than her), and smiled, a real smile. Gabrielle felt actual comfort and safety.

'Rare' she thought to herself, and so the dance continued.

With each step, they both got a little closer to each other, dancing a bit dirtier, which in comparison wasn't that bad to others there. Ren could see that Chuck was getting jealous and scoffed to himself. Good. Let him be jealous, tonight was too much fun. Ren smiled down at Gabrielle, enjoying having her close when the music broke off suddenly. Bringing the party to a screeching halt.

Dammit. Of course it was too good to be true.

"She's busted!" someone whispered.

Gabrielle's stomach sunk low as one of the happiest she'd ever been since the accident ended as she heard Claude's voice over the PA.

"Attention. Would Gabrielle please come up to the diner? Your daddy's here for you, Gabrielle."

Everyone at the party turned to see the ever-intimidating town reverend standing in the Diner's doorway. The crowd reacted for their friend's sake, as Rusty was especially mortified to see the only other sane person there about to get "kilt" by her parent.

Ren clenched his jaw uncomfortably, and dutifully removed his hands from Gabrielle's waist.

"Show's over, and thanks." She smiled, beginning to feel strangely invincible. Almost like she was going to throw up. She wasn't used to that feeling. The electrified, heightened feeling with music a moment earlier was now quiet as death while Gabrielle made her way to her father.

Gabrielle's heart dropped to her stomach as she saw her dad standing at the front of the Snack bar, turning back to see Arielle covered in her blue sweater, hiding behind Rusty and Willard. She was safe. Good.

Bitch.

With one last smile at Ren and her friends as she turned to her father, who wasn't looking though her like earlier, but now he was giving her the look of shame, which wasn't exactly uncommon in the Moore House.

"You mother was afraid you didn't have any money. She said you and Arielle would be here. " He looked around the crowd, silently swearing about the Rabble-Rousers.

He gave Ren the "You'll-Burn-In-Hell-For-This " look and Gabby felt full of pity, as now Ren had two guys mad at him.

"Arielle's at the church, Daddy." Reverend Moore made a scoffing sound at his daughter, "Daddy, it's not a big deal. We were just messing around. What's the problem?" She questioned, defending herself.

"I think it would be best if you came home with me." She rolled her eyes; happy she was getting a rise out of him. " Right now. "

"Okay," replied the raven-haired girl simply as she cast a brave face to the other partygoers.

" Daddy gonna take her out to the woodshed. " Ren winced visibly as Willard brought him out of his daze. "What the hell does that mean?" he questioned his new friend, not sure if he wanted the answer. Ren scoffed at Arielle hiding behind that Chuck asshole's truck.

" It means she's in deep shit. "

Oh.

Ren heart sunk as he saw his dancing partner get toted home by the man who made all this amazing spirit illegal. But somehow, seeing that she didn't run away, or scream like he was Dracula when the danced. That had to be a good sign.

Good sign? You like her dumbass. You like the daughter of the man who can make your new life a living hell.

Well shit.

XXXXXX

Gabrielle reflected on the Diner Party as she headed up to her room, smile etched off her face. "Hey, honey. You're home early." Gabrielle shot her Mom the smile as she headed up the stairs to her room. "Yeah." She said simply. "Did you have fun?" questioned Mrs. Moore. "We broke the law, but I think yeah. You know I really did." While on the stairs, Gabby picked up her stray iPod from the stairs as she ignored her father's shouts about whatever the hell he was mad about. At least she was being acknowlaged.

'It's been a good night.' Thought the lovestruck girl.

'For the first time I a long time,

I'm alright'


End file.
